Held on Friday 15 September 2000, the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games was a symbolic journey through Australia?s culture and landscape. It carried political expectations to represent national tolerance and social progress, and to reflect the breadth of Australia?s creative talent. Involving local directors, producers, choreographers, designers, performers and other artists, it set an energetic and youthful tone for the following two weeks of competition. The Closing Ceremony, held on 1 October 2000, was a witty celebration of contemporary Australian clichés and icons. Over-sized floats of thongs, kewpie dolls, sharks and Akubras carried drag queens, actors, sports stars and musicians. Its format embraced the spirit of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and made fun of the stereotypes that were carefully avoided during the Games. The legacy of these two events is now reflected in the Sydney 2000 Games Collection, which includes props, costumes, models and design drawings. Together, these items trace the development of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, from the earliest design concepts to the final performance.